Natco wins patent dispute case against Teva

Singapore: Based in India's Hyderabad, drug manufacturing major Natco Pharmaceuticals has won a long standing patent dispute case against Israeli drug major Teva Pharmaceuticals.

The High Court of New Delhi had dismissed Teva's suit seeking an injunction over the marketing of a generic version of multiple sclerosis drug, copaxone (glatiramer acetate) in the US on February 28. Reports explained that even though Teva does not have a patent on the drug in India, the injunction sought to prevent Natco from exporting it.

Adding that the decision could allow Natco to launch generic version of Teva's Copaxone in the US, the report said that this could be subject to approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA). The patent on the $4 billion sales drug, expires in the US on May 24, 2014.